How To Make Friends and Confuse Them With Your Personality
A collection of so-called Zinziisms
Eyes wide, with a little smirk behind them, brows semi, playfully furled: Recently I have had the sort of silly pleasure of having two different friends look at me this way, within the same week. Befuddled? A little. Intrigued? For sure. Utterly stunned and amazed? No doubt.
It happens when I reveal what we are now referring to as a Zinziism. You see, reader, this little hamster wheel brain of mine just never stops. And because of that, I have all these little things that occur to me, and reasons for them, and systems or tricks or ideas for how to collect or follow through on them.
Today, now that the holidays are behind us and we head into this delightful little lull of a week, I’ll share a few recent things with you. Some are, indeed, part of a larger system that reveals more about my brain than anyone ever probably wanted to know. Some are just things I’ve seen recently and enjoyed. Zinziisms! Let me know if you like them, or if you have anything like these to share by popping them in the comments!
Absurdly tiny notebooks. Hamster brain really dislikes thinking the same thing over and over again. And so: A tiny notebook that can fit into the back pocket of your jeans (extra points for a tiny pen to go with it) is my solution. When I think of a thing, I put it in the notebook. Every few days, I add the amassed “things” to my Notion Ur-List, which I use in this manner.
Digital self control. I’ve been using the One Sec app for the past few months and have dramatically decreased the amount of my personal time eaten alive by Instagram. All it does is interrupt launching the app by 2-ish seconds, which I have found to be generally enough time for me to say, “I hate it in there anyway.”
A DICKIE!!! …is what I screeched to myself when I first saw Hannayoo Works’ turtleneck scarf (it’s a dickie). I don’t have one, I just want one.
Italian paper. This Etsy seller mostly stocks Christmas-y supplies, which I guess is probably why they have this incredible assortment of handmade Italian paper—for wrapping. I, however, went out and got some spray tack and now there’s nowhere this Italian paper can’t live.
Bouche mordue. I’m not a ~makeup gal~ but I do love this little sheer/matte lipstick from Violette and have been wearing it most days. The idea is to get the effect of “bouche mordue”: just-bitten lips. It’s subtle.
Rite In The Rain in the shower. The best ideas are in the shower, that’s just the facts. So: What if your tiny notebook happens to be somewhere else? What if your tiny notebook happens not to be waterproof?!! This is why I have a Rite In The Rain notebook and pen in there, so all the ideas don’t wash down the drain.
Loop Earplugs. I got these subtle little earplugs with the hunch that, if the household noise or, say, the car ride noise, was just a little quieter, I might be able to hold onto my patience just a little longer. Actually: I was right and it’s been really helping. Essentially, these earplugs limit the decibel level, turning the volume down. You can hear everything perfectly, just quieter. Good for if your partner takes loud calls in the car or if everything is JUST SO GD NOISY ALL THE TIME.
Zumclean. If you’re also not a ~perfume person~ but still ~like smelling good~ I highly suggest Zumclean, with it’s very hippy and very delightful essential oil scent packages. Your clothes smell good! And then by, you know, transitive powers, so do you!
I’m sure there’s more—there always is! Leave a comment, let us know about some of your little -isms!
NB: If you have been missing the Listings section for the past few weeks, NEVER FEAR, it’s not gone. I just wrote all these newsletters from the past and so I couldn’t know what the listings would be 🔮 in the future 🔮